A mathematical model of brain tumour response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy considering radiobiological aspects.

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and malignant brain tumour. For many years, the conventional treatment has been maximal surgical resection followed by radiotherapy (RT), with a median survival time of less than 10 months. Previously, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy (given after RT) has failed to demonstrate a statistically significant survival advantage.

Pattern of relapse after fractionated external beam radiotherapy for meningioma: experience from Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Aims: Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality for meningioma. We aimed to review the clinical outcomes for meningioma patients treated with radiotherapy in the Addenbrooke's Hospital Oncology Department.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out on patients with meningioma referred and treated in the department between 1 November 1996 and 31 October 2006.

A novel algorithm for the morphometric assessment of radiotherapy treatment planning volumes.

Quantitative assessment of target volume contouring in radiotherapy treatment planning is an important aspect of quality assessment and educational exercises. The Conformity Index (CI) is a volume-based statistic frequently used for this purpose. Although the CI is relatively simple to understand and can be calculated using most treatment planning systems, it does not provide any information on the differences in shape between the two volumes.

Titanium clip placement to allow accurate tumour bed localisation following breast conserving surgery: audit on behalf of the IMPORT Trial Management Group.

Introduction: Accurate tumour bed (TB) localisation is a key requirement for the UK IMPORT (Intensity Modulated Partial Organ Radiotherapy) trial. We audited the value of titanium clips for TB localisation following breast conserving surgery (BCS) in breast radiotherapy (RT) planning.

Patients And Methods: At surgery, paired clips were positioned around the TB as follows: 1.

Effect of buprenorphine on psychomotor functions in patients on buprenorphine maintenance.

Objective: Patients on buprenorphine maintenance for opioid dependence often abuse its additional doses over and above the maintenance dose. Being a psychoactive agent, it may affect psychomotor performance with all its consequences, for example, effect on quality of life. This study was conducted to assess the effects of its additional doses on psychomotor performance in patients who are maintained on it.

Early radiotherapy dose response and lack of hypersensitivity effect in normal brain tissue: a sequential dynamic susceptibility imaging study of cerebral perfusion.

Aims: To determine if magnetic resonance perfusion markers can be used as an analytical marker of subclinical normal brain injury after radiotherapy, by looking for a dose-effect relationship.

Materials And Methods: Four patients undergoing conformal radiotherapy to 54Gy in 30 fractions for low-grade gliomas were imaged with conventional T(2)-weighted and fluid attenuated inversion recovery imaging as well as dynamic contrast susceptibility perfusion imaging. Forty regions of interest were determined from the periventricular white matter.

High-dose radiotherapy in the management of chordoma and chondrosarcoma of the skull base and cervical spine: Part 1--Clinical outcomes.

Aims: Patients with chordoma and chondrosarcoma in the skull base present a complex multidisciplinary problem. These tumours are rare and occur in difficult anatomical regions. We reviewed the local control and survival of patients treated in our centre.

Predicting patterns of glioma recurrence using diffusion tensor imaging.

Although multimodality therapy for high-grade gliomas is making some improvement in outcome, most patients will still die from their disease within a short time. We need tools that allow treatments to be tailored to an individual. In this study we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a technique sensitive to subtle disruption of white-matter tracts due to tumour infiltration, to see if it can be used to predict patterns of glioma recurrence.

A mathematical model of the treatment and survival of patients with high-grade brain tumours.

More years of life per patient are lost as the result of primary brain tumours than any other form of cancer. The most aggressive of these is known as glioblastoma (GBM). The median survival time of patients with GBM is under 10 months and the outlook has hardly improved over the past 20 years.

Improved delineation of glioma margins and regions of infiltration with the use of diffusion tensor imaging: an image-guided biopsy study.

Background And Purpose: The efficacy of radiation therapy, the mainstay of treatment for malignant gliomas, is limited by our inability to accurately determine tumor margins. As a result, despite recent advances, the prognosis remains appalling. Because gliomas preferentially infiltrate along white matter tracks, methods that show white matter disruption should improve this delineation.

Subjective effects of additional doses of buprenorphine in patients on buprenorphine maintenance.

Objectives: Buprenorphine has considerable abuse potential. Patients who are maintained on buprenorphine (for opioid dependence) further use additional doses besides its maintenance dose. Subjective effects of the additional doses of buprenorphine in patients on buprenorphine maintenance patients is focused in this study.

Mathematical modelling of survival of glioblastoma patients suggests a role for radiotherapy dose escalation and predicts poorer outcome after delay to start treatment.

Aims: The outcome of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) remains extremely poor. We have developed a mathematical model, using pathological and radiation biology concepts, to assess the detrimental effect of delay to start radiotherapy, the possible benefit from dose escalation, and to extract biological data from clinical data.

Materials And Methods: Survival data were available for 154 adult patients with GBM treated in our centre with curative intent to a dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions between 1996 and 2002.

Diffusion tensor imaging: possible implications for radiotherapy treatment planning of patients with high-grade glioma.

Aims: Radiotherapy treatment planning for high-grade gliomas (HGG) is hampered by the inability to image peri-tumoural white-matter infiltration. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an imaging technique that seems to show white-matter abnormalities resulting from tumour infiltration that cannot be visualised by conventional computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We propose a new term, the image-based high-risk volume (IHV) for such abnormalities, which are distinct from the gross-tumour volume (GTV).

Validation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in urban community outreach and de-addiction center samples in north India.

Objective: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) developed by the World Health Organization for screening disorders related to alcohol use has been shown to have robust psychometric properties. This study compared the performance of AUDIT with that of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST) in a region of North India.

Method: A total of 297 consecutive subjects who had used alcohol in the past year were recruited from a de-addiction center (DAC) (n = 97) and a community outreach setting (n = 200) in West Delhi.

Significance of intracellular arsenic trioxide for therapeutic response in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is an effective drug for treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and malignant tumors. However, it is not commonly known to researchers that sensitivity has been associated with As2O3 concentration in target cells. Cell lines and cell strains of leukemia and solid cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of As2O3, and the concentrations were compared to apoptosis detected by FITC-annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining.

Conformal rotation therapy with central axis beam block is a feasible alternative to intensity-modulated radiotherapy for chordomas of the cervical spine.

Aims: Paraspinal tumours, such as chordoma, represent a treatment challenge for oncologists, requiring high dose to the target volume without exceeding the tolerance dose of the spinal cord. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is helpful in achieving sharp dose gradients and conformation of dose to the target volume. We present a simpler technique--conformal rotation therapy with a central axis beam block (CRT + BB), which can provide similar dose distributions.

Tissue signature characterisation of diffusion tensor abnormalities in cerebral gliomas.

The inherent invasiveness of malignant cells is a major determinant of the poor prognosis of cerebral gliomas. Diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) can identify white matter abnormalities in gliomas that are not seen on conventional imaging. By breaking down DTI into its isotropic (p) and anisotropic (q) components, we can determine tissue diffusion "signatures".

Complete resolution of metastatic breast cancer by withdrawal of hormone replacement therapy.

We report the case history of a patient with a known history of locally recurrent breast cancer, who developed metastatic disease while taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT). She underwent complete radiographic resolution of disease with no treatment other than cessation of the HRT.

Studies on hepatoprotective activity of vitex leucoxylon L.

Vitex leucoxylon is known to possess anti inflammatory activity. It was accidentally observed that local people of some regions use the leaves of vitex leucoxylon in jaundice and other liver ailments. There was no report of pharma-cological screening on liver.

Status of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine in Orissa.

Orissa is known for its contribution of 15-20% of malaria cases to the national total. Deaths due to malaria in the state are also not uncommon. Proportion of P.

Comparative pharmacognosy of medicinally important Indian vitex species.

Vitex genera is reputed for their medicinal properties. Of the 12 species reported to be present in Indian only 8 species are medicinally useful. Of these six species were colled and their pharmacognostic characters were studied and described.